Several school districts across Texas are now considering next steps after voters rejected dozens of school bonds and tax-rate increases during Tuesday’s General Election.
Although a final decision has not yet been made, some of the options being considered by various districts include operational adjustments and the sale of unused school properties. Some even say that no action will be taken in hope that the 90th Texas Legislature will designate additional funding for government schools.
According to Destin Sensky with Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, it is “estimated that local voters rejected about 75 percent of the property tax-backed bonds and voter-approval tax rate elections (VATREs) put on the November 3 ballot by cities, counties, and school districts across the state.”
Districts needing to address funding shortfalls are considering spending reductions and selling district properties.
After district residents voted down a voter-approval tax rate election that would have provided approximately $5.5 million in funding towards its budget deficit, Ysleta Independent School District Superintendent Xavier De La Torre told local news outlet CBS 4 that the district is considering selling eleven school properties and making changes to employee health plans, which might help reduce costs.
De La Torre told the network that the district does not plan on asking voters to reconsider the tax-rate proposal.
Fox 26 reported that Cy-Fair ISD officials will be meeting in the coming months to consider “various operational adjustments and cost-saving measures.”
Meanwhile, Mesquite ISD Superintendent Dr. Ángel Rivera said in his response to the rejection of a 9-cent tax rate increase that the district will “look at efficiencies” but that “in the immediate future, there will be no cuts” or “staffing allocations.”
Rivera also said that there will “be no discussions about budgets as we look forward to the 90th Legislative Session,” saying that they will instead wait and hope that the new Democrat leadership in the upcoming session will provide “additional funding to public schools.”
